1. Field
The present disclosure relates generally to wireless nodes, and in particular, to wireless nodes in an airport. Still more particularly, the present disclosure relates to a method and apparatus for authenticating information received at a wireless node in the airport.
2. Background
The operation of aircraft may be improved by improving communications between the aircraft and the ground stations at airports. As used herein, an “airport” is an area that includes runways, taxiways, control stations, hangars, terminals, maintenance buildings, cargo loading docks, ramps, passenger facilities, parking lots, the land around these structures, and/or other types of surfaces or structures for use by aircraft and/or the personnel involved in the operation of aircraft. These personnel may include, for example, without limitation, airline personnel, passengers, flight crews, maintenance crews, air traffic control operators, and/or other suitable types of operators.
Communications between an aircraft and different ground stations at an airport may be improved by increasing the speed at which information is exchanged between the aircraft and these ground stations and between the different ground stations. One currently available solution for increasing this speed uses a communications network that includes wireless nodes placed in different locations throughout the airport. These wireless nodes may allow communications between ground stations and communications between aircraft and ground stations. As used herein, a “wireless node” is a system configured to send information, receive information, or perform a combination of the two, wirelessly. These wireless nodes may be connected to a hard-wired network such as, for example, the Internet.
This type of arrangement of wireless nodes may be referred to as a “wi-fi” arrangement. At least a portion of these wireless nodes may be located outdoors but within the airport. For example, one or more of the wireless nodes may be located along runways, along taxiways, around terminals, around hangars, and in other types of outdoor locations at an airport. This type of arrangement of wireless nodes may allow an aircraft to send and/or receive information while taxiing at the airport, approaching the airport, departing the airport, and parked at a gate at the airport.
However, using wireless nodes for communications between aircraft and ground stations at an airport may introduce the possibility of an unauthorized system gaining access to the communications network and/or intentionally disrupting the communications network. The wireless nodes in the communications network may need a way of authenticating the information that is received at these wireless nodes. As used herein, “authenticating” information received at a wireless node means verifying that the source of the information is a valid source and not a potential threat to the communications network.
In some cases, a cryptographic system may be used to encrypt information being sent to a wireless node and decrypt the information received at the wireless node. However, a cryptographic system may be more expensive and/or require more resources than desired. For example, with a cryptographic system, digital certificates and digital keys may be used. Management of these digital certificates and digital keys may require more storage capacity, processing power, and/or other resources than desired.
Additionally, airport safety regulations, airport security policies, and potential interference with airport operations, may limit personnel from accessing wireless nodes located within the airport as frequently as desired to perform equipment maintenance, such as, for example, refreshing security data and/or cryptographic information in equipment. Therefore, it would be desirable to have a method and apparatus that takes into account at least some of the issues discussed above, as well as other possible issues.